


Late Night

by archetypes



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, Fluff, M/M, Set in early S2- after first date before first time, Texting, also Izzy lives for malec, literally MALEC, theyre soulmates what else can I say
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-27
Updated: 2019-11-27
Packaged: 2021-02-26 03:13:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,518
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21586684
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/archetypes/pseuds/archetypes
Summary: Alec is having trouble sleeping, what with Magnus constantly on his mind. He can’t resist him, really, that is becoming very clear.
Relationships: Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood
Comments: 18
Kudos: 284





	Late Night

**Author's Note:**

> plotless fluff that I wrote just as an excuse to write malec texting: enjoy my bullshit

“Got any plans tonight, big brother?” Isabelle is a chime in the middle of a crowded room, heels a heavy clacking that sent flashbacks of their mother roaring through Alec’s mind.  
  
Jerking his head back to look at her while she caught up with him, comparatively short legs stretching to match his strides as best as she could, Alec shrugs. “No, not really.” Their shifts were technically done for the day, but a Shadowhunter’s day was never over – always, it bled into the night. “I’m on the early rotation tomorrow morning, gotta be up by four and out at five.”  
  
“So?” His little sister scoffed, this obvious look of confusion bleeding across her face, “Doesn’t Magnus have a couch… or a bed?” The way she says ‘bed’ is cartoonish, especially with that weird eyebrow thing she was doing right then.  
  
Alec glances around, shoulders rigid, he was a bit weird about his private business sometimes, he knew that, but mostly he had a nagging fear that someone would hear this conversation and find a reason to send him out on another mission right away. These people were spiteful like that.  
  
“I can’t tonight, I need sleep.”  
  
“Magnus will understand if you just want to sleep there.”  
  
“I’m going to my room, leave me alone,” he finally bitched, this irritable eyeroll following… before he sighs and says, “Thanks for caring, Izzy.” He can tell, deep down that all she really wants is for him to be happy and free – the kiss at the wedding from Edom, saving Alec from nearly dying, their first date that led to an amazing conversation afterwards; it’s clear they care deeply for each other. Izzy wants them to just let go.  
  
Things were still new.  
  
“No problem, I guess- now go eat a granola bar or something, you’re such an ass when you’re hungry!” Izzy smacks him hard on his upper bicep, breaking off from him as he heads towards his room, unwilling to follow him any further. The way she stares after him though seems almost irritated; like she just wished he would leave the Institute right now and end up on Magnus’ doorstep like a lost and beaten dog.  
  
He’s convinced by now that he would be happier that way too, but he can’t just come and go as he pleases, no mind on orders. That was irresponsible, unreliable.  
  
Not that he wouldn’t like to… not that he wouldn’t rather be with Magnus.  
  
These thoughts of Magnus continue like this for the next hour and half. While Alec showers, while Alec changes his bedsheets, while Alec folds his laundry: it is absolute, never-ending torture. After everything was cleaned up and put away, the bedroom lights switched off save for a few candles by Alec’s bedside tables that he would blow out before going to sleep, Alec tucked himself into bed. Bare skin, in nothing but his underwear, Alec stared up blankly at the ceiling.  
  
He counted any stains he saw, any lesions from building slip-ups, and almost started to count his breaths before he sighed long and heavy, rolling his body over to his side and reached for his cell phone lying on the table.  
  
He tapped the screen awake: 9:45. Early to some, but Alec was about to be up again at four. Only a few hours to sleep, and then he would be awake for another eighteen hours. Still, he felt his mind ring tunes of Magnus and it was impossible to even close his eyes.  
  
Alec uses his thumb to fingerprint unlock his phone all the way, and taps his messages app, opening all his text conversations in order of recent activity. Magnus’ text conversation with him was at the very tip-top: it wasn’t necessary for him to text Izzy or Jace every single day, considering that’s how often he saw them (well, until Jace started staying in Magnus’ guest room.) Magnus, on the other hand, was someone he didn’t have the luxury to spend as much time with as he would desire to.  
  
But, by the Angel, he wants to see him so bad right now.

He taps open the conversation, the last chat bubbles holding a brief conversation about what Alec had been doing yesterday, and Magnus hoping he would text or call him later on if he had the time. Alec had called him briefly on his break yesterday but that was that, as Magnus had needed to go meet Catarina Loss for dinner shortly afterwards.  
  
Alec is gnawing slightly on his lip- he has never really done this before. What does he even want to say? The truth, that he wants to see him, or that he’s thinking of him? It seems weird. What would Magnus think?  
  
He clicks his phone off instantly, suddenly feeling insecure despite him being the only person in the dark, silent bedroom. It was probably unhealthy, how critical he was of his own mind and thoughts, but couldn’t he blame that on years of internalizing every thought and emotion he’s ever had because he couldn’t truly share it with anyone else?  
  
Alec shuffles restlessly, yanking the blanket up further but is too reluctant to set his phone down. Subconsciously he must know that he isn’t going to be able to get him out of his mind.  
  
He’s tapping his fingers absently against the back of his phone for around a minute, despite it feeling like ten, before he finds his way back into his text conversation with Magnus. He clicks on the message bar, the keyboard popping up and waiting for him to type something out to send. His thumbs hover over the letters, circling around them as if trying to will him to spit something out that was at least mildly coherent and not embarrassing.  
  
Sighing, Alec eventually manages to type out: _“Been thinking about you.”_  
  
Heart pounds, hands shake… he sends it and the noise of the text being delivered nearly makes him jump: so much so that he turns his phone on silent mode right away.  
  
Each second that passes, Alec picks at the skin on his bottom lip with his teeth and is even able to rip enough off that it begins to burn, so he has to pick at a new spot. After but three minutes, a little flash of the words “Read 9:53” appears under his message and it gives him further anxiety.  
  
Alec is staring unblinkingly at the three little bubbles that pop up to signify that Magnus was in the middle of typing something back to him at this very moment. Holding his breath, a flurry of winged insects is released the moment his message arrives.  
  
_“what about me?”_  
  
There’s a tickle of joy that crawls up Alec’s throat, climbs across his face and it bleeds out onto his skin in the form of the biggest smile he’s sported in the last few days, easily. Why was it always Magnus, by the way, that made him giddy like a teenage boy?  
  
Jace _had_ made a joke about how Alec seemingly missed out on his most formative years for emotional “fucking around.” Whatever that meant, Alec still wasn’t interested. It seemed tedious: why bother?  
  
Magnus, who must have been waiting for Alec’s little read message to turn into typing for the last minute, sent him another reply.  
  
_“sorry, that must have been far too overwhelming to decide on just one thing. Five things are fine too”_

Alec chuckles, this little snort under his breath that pushed air out of his nose. He began typing as quickly as he could now, afraid that Magnus would keep on going like he was talking into a void if he didn’t.  
  
_“All of you. Does that sum it up well?”_ After Alec sends this, his fingertips hum like electricity is coursing through him. It feels akin to the power of a rune swelling up under your skin as it is burning.  
  
_“well I was looking forward to hearing you describe five of your favorite things about me in great detail… but yes. I’ve been thinking of you too, Alexander.”_  
  
The Shadowhunter’s heart skips another beat, and by now he is believing that he might succumb to heart failure. Does Magnus think of him often? No- Alec should stop asking himself and start asking Magnus… maybe that would draw out this conversation for hours so Alec would never have to sleep and instead bask in the land of Magnus Bane.  
  
_“Been thinking about… your eyes. And your smile. And your hair. And your magic… also your hands.”_ Alec sends this before tacking on another message. _“How much do you think of me?”_  
  
Two minutes pass with off and on chat bubbles appearing as Magnus types along.  
  
_“oh, the thought of you thinking of my hands is making me think naughty things, Alexander.”_ And then promptly after, _“i think of you all day long… while I make my potions, while I speak on the phone with irritating warlocks demanding far too much of me in so little time, and while I am feeding all of the cats I have living on my roof- I talk about you to them all the time. They are sick of hearing about the tall, handsome Shadowhunter in my life, surely”_  
  
Little jumps in Alec’s pulse surprises him throughout the entirety of this text. He reads and rereads it over and over until he is satisfied in his steadily failing comprehension abilities. Hearing these things though, fills him with more guilt than he imagined he would feel.

After what Magnus has said before their date at the Hunters Moon, he was trying to be more open to taking breaks, but he was still bad at it, it seems.  
  
_“I’m sorry I was working all day today.”_  
  
_“silly nephilim, I understand. No need to apologize to me”_  
  
_“I guess but I don’t know.”_ Alec chickened out. Didn’t know how to convey his emotions properly.  
  
_“hey, come back. Talk to me”_  
  
Alec sucks in a soft breath, touched to see that Magnus cared enough to really want to know what he was thinking, how he felt- and even more so, that he knew him enough to know that he was brushing over whatever he was really thinking.  
  
_“Nothing, I just miss you. Wish I could have seen you today.”_ Alec holds his breath while this delivers.  
  
_“are you embarrassed to express this to me?”_ And a moment after. _“because I don’t want you to be”_  
  
Alec doesn’t really know what to say for a long moment, instead favoring to ghost his thumbs over the keys, a frown making indentations in his cheeks. He hears his sister’s voice saying that he is going to get wrinkles in less than a year’s time.  
  
He continues to frown.  
  
_“I’m not embarrassed to talk to you, I don’t want you to think that.”_ Alec sends, along with, _“I just feel childish, I guess. A little bit.”_  
  
_“why, angel?”_  
  
Alec’s breath hiccups, a bleeding of heat moving across his chest and filling up all the empty spaces with that nickname. **Angel**. By Raziel, Magnus makes his hands shake in the best possible way.

Having never had this before, this moment (along with a few others by now- they just kept building up, fortunately) felt surreal. Maybe one day he would wake up to find this all one long dream. For now, at least, he was thankful to be able just to savor this. 

Savor Magnus.

_”Saying I miss you when it’s only been like three days since I saw you.“_

_”these last three days have been an eternity without seeing your beautiful face, trust me, I know eternities when I see them. I feel what you feel, Alexander“_

_”I think you’re beautiful.“_ It was lame, or at least it felt that way to Alec, but the pure overwhelming feeling of hearing such a soft declaration (no rejection or mockery in sight) had him all... mushy inside.

_”oh my! This Shadowhunter of mine is the most charming, most sweet of all the Shadowhunters... and I miss him. Greatly. Does he work late tomorrow?“_

That familiar guilt wells up, digging pits of blackness in his gut, so deep that they touched the apex of his heart and tugged. This was all so new, wanting so desperately to take a break from being a Shadowhunter for just a few hours of a day- and this was a big thought for Alec. A foreign, all consuming thought that he hasn’t been able to shake lately. He wants to tell Magnus no, but that would be a lie.

_”He does.“_

_”oh. That’s alright“_

There’s a horrible pang roaring through him. He wants to give Magnus so much more.

_”But I can sleep on your couch.“_ Izzy’s words blurt onto his screen and he thinks he sounds like a moron the moment it sends.

_”on my couch? Are you inviting yourself to a sleepover at my place???“_

Alec is frozen. Was that weird? Fuck, he knew that was probably weird.

_”I would love that. But I have a bed too“_ When this text from Magnus comes in, just in time- the middle of a brain meltdown- Alec breathes a soft sigh of relief.

Anxiety turns to flushed cheeks and teeth digging into lip. There’s a bubble of something warm building and Alec is almost embarrassed about where his mind is. He can admit quietly (and to himself) that he has thought of Magnus in many ways, and maybe they weren’t all appropriate.

Ugh.

Embarrassing.

_”Wouldn’t that be bad for your reputation?”_ Alec’s text is teasing, a gentle reference to the first night Alec had ever slept over at Magnus’. Maybe he was flirting with him... a little bit.

_”I think I made it very clear that I am unafraid of a tarnished reputation when I stole a Shadowhunter groom from his wedding... there are no more popular points to be lost if I cuddle with him“_

_”That went from sleeping to cuddling very fast.“_ Alec is smirking at his screen- abruptly, he leans away from the center of his bed and with one elbow digging into the mattress, he stretches out and blows every flame out of each candle. He flips around and does the same to the candles on the other bedside table. 

Now shrouded in nothing but shadow and the brightness of his phone framing his face, he got comfortable in bed again. He will admit this was him trying to be intimate with Magnus, by laying with his phone in the darkness.

_”you’re a very, very pretty boy. I just can’t resist the thought of burying my face in your neck... will you come tomorrow night?“_

Oh, by the Angel, will he come?

Don’t... even go there, Alec.

The Shadowhunter can feel that warmth in his stomach grow, blend into his veins and climb through him like the most fast acting virus. Only he could compare the unfamiliar feeling of romance to a virus.

_”Yeah I’ll come.“_ And soon after, _”I want to touch you.“_ And then backtracking quickly, _”Hold you, I mean.“_

_”you’ll have to touch me to hold me, you know. How spooky!“_ Magnus is clearly teasing him.

Alec rolls his eyes, _”I’m not scared to touch you.“_

_”good because I want you to hold me all night long“_

_”What do you wear to bed?“_ Alec asks him and is unashamed to say that talking over text makes it easier to ask whatever he wants to ask.

_”what do you think I wear?“_

_”Your robe probably.“_

_”you think I sleep in my robe??? A robe is specifically made for the chilly morning air after getting out of your cozy warm bed. Also slippers“_

_”Fuzzy red pants and a gold tank top?“_ Alec is practically shaking with laughter.

_”Alexander! What kind of fashion faux pas is that nightmare version of me doing in your head?? Certainly not, I am a fan of the classic silk underwear and a shirt of appropriate sleeve length based on the weather“_

_”Silk?“_ Alec’s mind wanders, admittedly. He sees thin fabric and thick thighs in his head; so much so that he’s blankly staring at his screen long after Magnus sends a response. He has to quickly blink himself back to the present.

_”completely ignoring my shirt though I see.“_

_”Sorry. T-shirt tonight then?“_

_”not wearing one ;)“_

_”Oh“_ Alec swallows, slightly shifting until he pushes the blanket down his chest. Uncovering himself some, as he was getting warmer.

_”what are you thinking about?“_

_”You.“_

_”what about me?“_

_”Honestly?“_ Alec feels as if he must send this first, because a piece of him is still unsure of how to approach something like this. This conversation. So flirty and open and new.

_”always, angel“_

It’s this pet-name again that leaves him full of confidence, a whole surge of it. Alec can hear his pulse getting louder in his ears, that shake in his fingers returning, _”You laying without a shirt on right now.“_

_”i will admit, i am a little chilly. I bet you are so warm right now in...?“_

_”Same as you, ha“_ Just his underwear.

_”silk panties????“_

Alec nearly groans, pictures of dark thighs grow in his head and this time they’re much less covered. And rolling over he can see tight silk hug plump skin.... a firm ass. Angel, Alec, stop thinking so hard with your stele.

_”No I don’t think I would look as good as you in them.“_

_”let me guess, plain black... boxers?“_

_”Briefs. Plain black, yes.“_

Many bubbles pop up, as if Magnus is taking an abnormally long amount of time to think about what he would like to say, likely, he probably has so many things he wants to say that they’re all fighting for contention.

_”briefs, so you like it tight?“_ Alec can practically hear Magnus’ smirk; those eyes sparkling with mischief just to taunt the Shadowhunter.

But it was different than before... Magnus was now undeniably tender, caring, and when he did start to flirt with Alec it was with a glimmer of warmth in his eyes.

It was the subtle differences that made Alec feel special to him. But that wasn’t to say that he didn’t like to be flirted with.

_”Goodnight.“_

_”no! Don’t leave me :(“_

_”I really should sleep soon though, it’s almost 10:40.“_

_”am I bothering you?“_

_”No of course not, you never bother me.“_ Alec is sad to see Magnus ask a question like that. _”I would go see you right now if you weren’t three blocks away.“_

Two things happen at once in the next two minutes: Alec jumps slightly, sitting up in bed as a bright golden portal shimmers and cracks through the still atmosphere of his bedroom, and Magnus sends him a text that says “come over then.”

Alec is laughing, shaking his head and shoving the blanket off of him instantly. Usually, he would have prepared more to see Magnus and even prepared for the next morning when he would have to rush back to work... but he wasn’t really thinking about that right now. Instead, the only thing he does is shuck on a black zip-up hoodie, and shove his stele into one of the pockets.

Climbing through the portal with ease, Alec is barely jolted once he lands on the other side- the very foot of Magnus’ bed. There’s a heavy **whoosh** once the portal fades away behind him, and light is gone with it. So much so that the Shadowhunter has to squint in the newfound darkness to see Magnus perched at the edge of his bed, a thin robe covering his upper body.

Alec laughs gently, seeing that they had the same idea of modesty. “I thought a robe wasn’t for sleeping?” He asks, pressing forward until he’s sat on the edge, next to the warlock.

Magnus hums, slow hands reaching forward to unzip Alec’s hoodie. “I’ll show you mine if you show me yours,” he giggles, this gentle thing that Alec can see an unmeasurable amount of joy inside.

“Is Jace here?” Alec asks softly- the intimacy between them reminding Alec of their date. Or more specifically, what happened while they were trying to share some alone tome afterwards. Jace coming in with a duffle bag, no knock.

Magnus freezes just as he gets the zipper down past Alec’s pecs: he was taking some time to pry the fabric apart to peer inside. Lips pursed and looking interested, Alec has to ask again before the elder answers him. “Oh, yes, he is asleep- well, he is pretending to be asleep with a nice fae woman. Sorry, some nice fae women. There were two, I think.”

Alec scowls, he is sad for Jace, but mostly he is annoyed at the lack of effort on his part. He could make it right with Clary and the Institute if he really wanted to.

“He isn’t bothering you, is he?” Alec is slightly worried that his family was going to push Magnus away before even he had the chance to screw things up.

Magnus waved him off, warm fingers sliding inside the jacket and shrugging it off from the inside out, down Alecs shoulders and off of his arms. Magnus’ fingertips felt like little hums of electricity: that same magical feeling Alec felt when merely texting Magnus. 

Alec, slowly but steadily, followed Magnus’ lead. He reached carefully for the two hastily tied strings holding the robe together and unwrapped their bow. The two sides of the robe fell apart and Magnus seemed to be bewitched; unable to do anything but watch Alec’s hands. Alec slides the robe off of Magnus’ arms and is sure to touch as much bare skin as he can along the way. Greedy for more touch, the Shadowhunter tosses the robe and wraps his arms around Magnus’ neck. 

By the Angel, was he shaking?

No, he was buzzing.

Magnus’ eyes flutter, this smile grazing his lips that showcase his slight surprise at Alec’s lack of concern for distance or anything of the like. Their date, their agreement that they didn’t care about their differences, it did take a toll on Alec. On his previous worries. He enjoyed being united very deeply, and didn’t care for being apart anymore.

There’s a slight intake of breath before Alec is pushing forward and pressing their lips together in a sweet, slow kiss. This slight dragging with every kiss that leaves them both sighing. They’ve kissed enough times that Alec could count it on his hands, but it isn’t rigid and nervous, it isn’t shaky or clumsy. They slot together just right, like they’ve kissed a million and one times and coming together was only natural.

Magnus drags his hands up and down Alec’s back, and along with his skin trails some cool, blue magic. It sighs against Alec’s skin like it’s breathing itself, this expansion and shrivel rotation as of it was its own entity: enjoying Alec’s touch.

Alec shivers, fingers gripping tighter into Magnus’ skin and pulling him impossibly closer, their bare chests lapping carefully against one another. One of Magnus’ hands, still sporting that pretty blue flame, finds a path that winds down to Alec’s thigh: toying with the fabric of his underwear partially covering his skin before sliding further down and skating through the soft hair there. Alec pushes his leg into the touch, his kisses faltering just the slightest, allowing Magnus to take over. 

Magnus leans into Alec enough to lay the younger down onto the messy, golden bedspread. Alec makes a noise of content once his broad shoulders are pressed down into the mattress, Magnus settled on top of him. It was languid, the way Magnus stretches out his whole body to match the length of Alec’s: connecting them from head to toe, even if half of their bodies were dangling off of the bed. Despite the funny position, it was bone-crushingly intimate.

“You smell so good,” Magnus murmurs, nudging his knee between Alec’s legs. “I missed you.”

They haven’t been officially dating long... two and a half weeks maybe? It feels like ten seconds, but also ten years. Like forever in nothing. 

Alec’s cheeks warm up a hundred degrees, “I just showered,” he supplies lamely against his lips, smiles between them.

Magnus pulls back, staring deeply into his boyfriend’s eyes, his teeth showing with this grin. “Tell me your beauty regimen right this instant, as your boyfriend I deserve to know your secrets.”

“Uh... shampoo... body wash...” Alec shrugs.

“No conditioner? Oh Alexander, I’m about to change your whole life.”

“You already have,” Shadowhunter whispers, his voice pathetically giving out halfway through.

Magnus’ smile dials down, and he looks at Alec so tenderly- eyes giving him a gooey, honey-soft stare. “I adore you. Please hold me?” He asks, shifting off of Alec enough to be able to crawl over him and snuggle his way under the covers. A large open spot left for Alec, Magnus gestured for him to join him by patting at the empty space.

Alec follows instantly like a loyal dog, long limbs stuffing themselves under the covers as well. He was already feeling ten times warmer, but that didn’t stop him from snaking an arm around Magnus’ waist and tugging him close. Their bodies touching once more.

“I have to do perimeter work at five,” Alec whispers into the darkness, his nose buried deep in Magnus’ hair as he settles onto his chest.

“I love chest hair...” Magnus breathes, lips and fingertips running and pressing into Alec’s aforementioned chest hair.

“Did you hear me?” Alec asks with a soft chuckle, hair raising chills rolling through him when Magnus tugs at some of his hair.

“Yes, yes. Work at five. I’ll be dead asleep and unable to wake up at such an unholy hour due to beauty rest standards... but feel free to kiss me goodbye. And maybe feed my cats.” Magnus sounds sleepier and sleepier as the minutes tick by.

Scratching at Magnus’ scalp, Alec begins to follow suit and close his eyes. “Cats don’t like me. On account of my tall...ness.”

“‘He steps on tails’, they say. ‘You can tell by his boot size’, they say.” Magnus is joking, and Alec can’t help but silently rock with laughter.

“My boot size?”

“Thirteen in men’s, I’m sure.”

“Fifteen, actually.”

Magnus sits up slightly, to look into Alec’s one cracked open eye, to say very seriously: “Don’t say sexy things while I’m trying to sleep on your chest, Alexander. It’s distracting.” Before plopping back down.

“Sexy?” Alec asks ignorantly while shutting his eyes again. 

“Why yes. You’re tall, have big hands, and big boots... these are all very clear indicators.”

“Are you being coy again?” He asks him, the way his fingers twist his silky soft strands of hair into circles begin to slow as his sleepiness grows.

“...You are too young and innocent. Goodnight.” Magnus begins to make fake, exaggerated snores. 

“Goodnight Magnus.” Alec moves slightly to kiss him on the forehead. Magnus makes a very happy noise (could Alec call it a purr?)

“Goodnight, angel.”


End file.
